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The Rovers Return, Coronation Street
The Rovers Return is the public house in Coronation Street Weatherfield. The pub has featured throughout the shows run and has also been the setting of many memorable scenes in the show. It has had many landlords and landladies over the years, from Annie Walker and her husband Jack Walker to Bet Gilroy and even Jack Duckworth and Vera Duckworth. The latest landlady being Liz McDonald, yet again. The brewery that used to own the pub before it became a freehouse is Newton And Ridley, who still supply the beers and spirits. Pre 1960 1960-1983 By 1960, Jack and Annie Walker had run the Rovers for 20 years. Their daughter Joan married in 1961 and their son Billy moved to London, making sporadic visits. In January 1962, Len Fairclough and Ken Barlow had a huge altercation over poshed up university graduate Ken slamming his working class roots in a local newspaper. In 1970, Jack Walker died when visiting Joan in Derby. This left Annie devastated. Her son Billy Walker came back to Weatherfield from Jersey to take his late father's position. Billy was a bit of a dodgy dealer and would use underhand tactics. In 1975, when Deirdre Hunt chose Ray Langton over Billy, Billy left the area again. In late 1975, the 66 year old Annie was quite vulnerable living alone in the private quarters above the pub. One night in November 1975 she was threatened by 2 robbers. Len and Ray wondered why there was lights on downstairs so went to investigate and they tackled the robbers, who were later caught. In early 1976, regular customers Stan Ogden and Albert Tatlock were accidentally locked in the cellar overnight and drunk much of the booze. Annie clearly could not cope running the pub alone, without a cellarman, and relying on draymen to take beer to and from the cellar. So the brewery insisted she get a live in potman. Step forward Fred Gee. He ws to live on the premises with Annie. Annie felt safe again. Fred became good friends with Betty Turpin and Bet Lynch and often they had lots of banter with each other. 1983-1984 This was a period which saw huge change in the history of the pub. In late 1983, Annie Walker went on an extended holiday. She still kept in touch and gave instructions to Fred, Bet and Betty as to how to run the pub. Hilda was just a cleaner so did not have to worry about the running of the pub. In February 1984, Annie said she has left Betty in charge. Fred thought this was sexist, so as usual, he went over Annie's head and to the brewery. At his own reccomendation to the brewery, Fred was made manager. He took time off after eating a pie that made him violenty ill, and he was admitted to hospital. Billy Walker came to take over the running of the pub. In August 1984, Annie retired and Billy took over as the licensee. Billy said out of Bet, Betty, Fred and Hilda, that Fred has the biggest reason to discuss his future. Billy said Fred is not needed, and to look for a job and a place to live right away but can stay on until that happens. Fred fought back against Billy and said he should get compensation. Billy goaded Fred into thumping him by working him into the ground and making vile insults to him. Fred's best mate Jack Duckworth told Fred to wait until he gets his compo then he can smack him. One time Billy sarcastically asked a very agitated and irritated Fred if he is happy in his work. To Fred this was the straw that broke the camels back so he thumped him. Billy sacked him on the spot. Fred took lodgings locally. He went from working at the pub to being a customer. Billy kept holding late night lock ins and buying cheap booze from wholesalers instead of the brewery, and doing underhand tactics so in December 1984, he was forced out of the brewery. This bought the 47 year Walker empire to an end. Billy left Weatherfield for good the following night. Also, Fred Gee left the area completeley in late 1984. Gordon Lewis took over as relief manager. He said that Billy Walker, who had recently left the area, always was a law unto himself. 1985-1995 In January 1985, it was obvious that Annie Walker, Billy Walker and Fred Gee were gone from the area forever. Bet, Betty and Hilda worked under Gordon Lewis at the start of the year. Later on, Bet was made landlady. In June 1986, the lights started flickering and Bet asked potman Jack Duckworth to replace the fuse. Jack put a stronger fuse in and overnight the switch overheated and started a fire in the cellar which spread to the main bar. Bet was rescued. 1995-1999 1999-present The famous Rovers toilets leading into Ken's living room mystery Since 1960 it has appeared that the toilet doors on the side of the wall dividing the pub and No 1 next door seem to lead straight into Albert Tatlock/Ken Barlow's living room. That may have explained why he was so grumpy. There was not enough space inbetween the pub and No 1 to even have a small corridor with a stairwell going downstairs into the toilets which may have been underground. In 1982 when the second outdoor set was built, a small alleyway was built inbetween the pub and No 1 to avoid confusion. However in the early years of the show, there was an alleyway inbetween the pub and No 1, when the show filmed in a studio. See also *The ginnel inbetween The Rovers and No 1 Coronation Street Trivia From 1960 to 1986, the rovers interior was much larger than the exterior. Such as the Rovers toilets seeming to lead into Albert's living room and also the Snug, Select and stage area seemed to be in Rosamund Street. The pub was always established as being on the corner of Coronation Street and Rosamund Street, and looking at the pub from the front, there clearly was not enough space to fit the main bar, Snug and Select. In 1982, when The second outdoor Coronation Street set was built, to try and remedy the Rovers toilets mystery, a small ginnel was added inbetween the pub and No 1 Coronation Street. 4 years later, in 1986, a storyline was written when the pub caught fire due to an electrical fault, where Jack Duckworth replaced the fuse with a stronger fuse after the pub lights begun to flicker. However this extra surge of electricity started a fire in the early hours of the next morning. After the fire, the pub's interior was redrawn to match the exterior more, the Snug was removed as was the Select, and the size of the main bar matched the exterior, although the private living quarters at the back still seemed to extend across Rosamund Street. Gallery Category:Coronation Street buildings. Category:Weatherfield Category:Pubs in Weatherfield Category:Shops and services in Weatherfield